Bad Case of Gas

[Etherhuffer]

Hi, new to forums, looks like a lot of good knowledge here. I picked up a used Masterbuilt propane smoker. Not a purist on smoking, just having fun. Building a real smokehouse next year. Got out a new gas hose and trusty drill bit and converted to natural gas. Working well, fires right up.
Question: The pan for wood chips is of course thin steel thing, kind of rusty. I have an assortment of cast iron frying pans, skillets, pots, you name it. Anyone use or modify old cast iron for a wood/chip holder? How much heat do I need to get smoke going? Any advice welcome.

 

[TulsaJeff]

I haven't modified anything but a gas smoker I had back in the day had a heavy duty cast iron chip box and it took a few minutes to get it going.

I would turn the heat all the way up to high just as soon as I added the chips. Once I saw smoke, I then turned it down to the correct heat to maintain the temperature.

Seems like this would require about the same sort of thing.

Of course back then, I saw mods for using a thin coffee can for wood chips so it would start smoking immediately LOL.

 

[Etherhuffer]

I haven't modified anything but a gas smoker I had back in the day had a heavy duty cast iron chip box and it took a few minutes to get it going.

I would turn the heat all the way up to high just as soon as I added the chips. Once I saw smoke, I then turned it down to the correct heat to maintain the temperature.

Seems like this would require about the same sort of thing.

Of course back then, I saw mods for using a thin coffee can for wood chips so it would start smoking immediately LOL.

That was my thinking too. Need to make a small mod to elevate the container above the flame source. Kind of like a wok ring for a gas range.

 

[bill1]

I agree. CI pan works great for adding smoke but you have to heat it initially pretty hot to get them going, then reduce to your desired cook temperature. I think that 2-step dance can be done gracefully, but I usually don't get the heat down promptly enough and I soon end up with flames. But if I keep the pan covered with a tight fitting lid (I found a cheap dog dish that works) drilled with a dozen or so 3/16" holes, then once I get smoke it stays smoke and I avoid the flare ups I get when uncovered.

 

[mike243]

Definitely put a cast iron lid on with some holes drilled in it so the wood will smolder, if not poof heat spike and no smoke. start with a few holes, easy to make more , use self tapping sheet metal screws if too many

 

[bill1]

Any lid/cover should suffice as long as it fits/seals fairly well at the edge. You want the thick iron on the bottom (that faces the heat source) to diffuse the heat across both your cook chamber and across whatever smoking wood you have inside the pan. As long as you keep the smoking wood inside from flaming up, you won't have a big thermal gradient across the lid/cover. Thermally, it's like the heat shields around a car's catalytic converter...they're not thick metal.

 

[wimpy69]

That was my thinking too. Need to make a small mod to elevate the container above the flame source. Kind of like a wok ring for a gas range.

I've used a trimmed down #10 can as a wok ring before, at least you can use it to mock something up. Dollar store pie pans are great little smoke box's,clam shell, top one -vent holes a use metal spring clips for keeping together.

 

[Jeep2K]

You might try pellet tubes in this situation. My first smoker was a Masterbuilt electric. It had a small chip tray that I got tired of filling every 15 minutes. Bought a couple of pellet tubes, never used more than one for any smoke. I have upgraded to an upright pellet smoker and have no need to use the electric any longer.

 

[JC in GB]

Hi, new to forums, looks like a lot of good knowledge here. I picked up a used Masterbuilt propane smoker. Not a purist on smoking, just having fun. Building a real smokehouse next year. Got out a new gas hose and trusty drill bit and converted to natural gas. Working well, fires right up.
Question: The pan for wood chips is of course thin steel thing, kind of rusty. I have an assortment of cast iron frying pans, skillets, pots, you name it. Anyone use or modify old cast iron for a wood/chip holder? How much heat do I need to get smoke going? Any advice welcome.

I have used a small cast iron pan as a chip/wood holder for smoke generation and have had very good results.

JC

 

[JLeonard]

I have used a small cast iron pan as a chip/wood holder for smoke generation and have had very good results.

JC

Thats what I use in my MB gasser. Like TulsaJeff said above....Run on high til pan gets hot and you start seeing smoke then turn down the heat to your desired temp. And load her up with your protein.

Jim

 

[Etherhuffer]

Thats what I use in my MB gasser. Like TulsaJeff said above....Run on high til pan gets hot and you start seeing smoke then turn down the heat to your desired temp. And load her up with your protein.

Jim

I was at the junk store and found a heavy bottom stainless pan that should work. I just need to drill some holes and insert long bolts or screws to lift it up off the burner by the right amount. Been so wet and cold in Seattle that not much time to get this done this winter.

 

[JLeonard]

I was at the junk store and found a heavy bottom stainless pan that should work. I just need to drill some holes and insert long bolts or screws to lift it up off the burner by the right amount. Been so wet and cold in Seattle that not much time to get this done this winter.

I tell ya what I did....I went to walmart and got a lrge cheap cookie sheet and then by lowes and got some long bolts and nuts. Drilled holes in 4 corners and then used bolts and nuts to adjust height to where I wanted it. Works pretty well as a heat deflector wood pan holder and also as water pan holder. It aint pretty but it works.

Jim

 

[Etherhuffer]

Good idea. I have a dead cookie sheet here I could use and get a new one for the house. The Mrs. might even like that idea!

 

[Etherhuffer]

Here we go. Success with pan with holes in lid.

 

[crazymoon]

EH, Nice job and good thinking "outside of the box" !

 

[bill1]

I like it. And it looks easy to reload if you run low on smoke.
I just keep adding. No need to throw out the spent embers

 

[Etherhuffer]

 

[Etherhuffer]

First run with set up above. Question: How should I adjust air vents on back of smoker? Not sure how that works

 

[Fueling Around]

Nice looking bird.
No help on vents. I have a Big Chief electric that is getting a make over this summer.